The Wolf's Den [Remus Lupin]

1 - Introduction

1ST DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters other than the original characters I've created like Alula, Gemini, etc. All plots and characters taken from the Harry Potter Universe are credited to J.K. Rowling.

2ND DISCLAIMER: This book will include and address adult themes such as domestic abuse, gaslighting, and manipulation and will also include adult ideas such as swearing, smoking cigarettes, and doing drugs (smoking marijuana and taking mild hallucinogens). Please do not use this as an excuse to follow the characters and do as they do. This story's been in the making since 2016 so I hope I won't let anyone down! Stay safe as always and enjoy the story! -Skye

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-Alula-

I was scared. I had no idea what to expect after the boat ride and already we have to be sorted? It's just all so quick! I never expected everything to be so abrupt.

"Alula, are you scared?" Gemini tugged on my robes. She looked terrified.

I took her hand and squeezed. "Why would I be? Our brothers always said trust the hat so why should we question it?"

She nodded. "But what if we're not in–"

Professor McGonagall cut off her sentence. "Lestrange, Alula!"

I gulped. Everyone around my sister and I whispered. "Good luck Lu Lu," She whispered and gave me a quick hug.

I nodded and walked up to Professor McGonagall with the sorting hat in her hand. I sat down on the stool and felt the weight of the hat fall on my head.

"Interesting...very interesting..." The hat grumbled in my ear. "Plenty of smarts, you could be Ravenclaw, but oh! You are cunning. Slytherin could be good for you..or could you be content with Hufflepuff, maybe..maybe..."

Oh goodness me, not Hufflepuff I want to be something. Someone important! I thought.

"Not Hufflepuff hmm?" The hat noted. "Well, well, then any of the other three would do you well but where, where would be best? Hmm.."

I thought of my family. All dressed in elegant green. All the time. Showing off their Slytherin pride and I felt myself growing nervous. What if the hat didn't think I was enough like them?

"You do remind me of Miranda, different and difficult. If I put you in Gryffindor.." He trailed off. A rush went up to my arm and I felt suddenly invigorated. The gold and scarlet, the lions, the fire! Yes! Gryffindor! A chance to be more than just another pawn in my family tree.

"You're sure not Slytherin hmm? Well if you'd like it so much, you must be...GRYFFINDOR!" I suddenly realized what had happened and let out a breath.

A sea of red exploded within the Great Hall and I searched for Gemini. She was lost in the crowd. She looked terrified. McGonagall took the hat off my head and I got off the stool. 'You'll be fine!' I mouthed to her and she nodded. She offered me a small smile but gave me a big thumbs-up.

I went to join the Gryffindor table. There were two girls who I watched be sorted before me so I sat next to them. "Hi I'm Lily Evans, and this is Alice Fortescue, aren't you excited? Gryffindor! Goodness! Headmaster Dumbledore was a Gryffindor and look at what he's accomplished!"

I smiled at her. "Yeah of course.." I trailed off when I heard McGonagall call the next name.

"Lestrange, Gemini!"

She made her way up and sat down. The hat was placed on her head and she gripped the stool. "Hmm...interesting.." The hat grumbled.

She seemed to be whispering to it as I had. "Please let her be with me.." I whispered.

"SLYTHERIN!!" It called out and suddenly I felt my heart sink.

She looked like she was about to pass out. I watched as she walked to the Slytherin table. Our cousin Henry clapped and grabbed her around the neck to hug her. They both looked over to me and Henry made eye contact with me. He gave me a big thumbs up and his grin took up half his face. 'I'm so proud of you!' He mouthed to me. I nodded quickly and smiled.

I missed the next few kids who went up but once I was seated and paying attention again I saw the most curious-looking boy. His name was Remus Lupin. He definitely wasn't a Pureblood by the look of his robes or by the sound of his name and he was sorted into Gryffindor as well.

The list went on and the only names I knew were a McKinnon girl, an Avery boy, and a Vance girl. All Purebloods. But none of them intrigued me as much as the boy who was sorted not long before me. Sirius Black.

Maybe I would be okay. I mean Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor too and look at his family. I turned to look at him. "Hi Sirius, I guess we're both the 'firsts' right?" He chuckled and nodded.

"I guess so. I see we have more in common than either of our parents expected." He smiled and I felt a weight lift from my shoulders.

I think I'll be fine. I can't wait to write home and tell everyone. Especially Aunt Miranda! The hat told me I reminded it of her! And she's my favorite aunt! She'd be so excited for me.

Aunt Elladora and Uncle Phineas would be happy too. I know that Uncle Phineas was a Ravenclaw but he married into the family, so it wasn't as big of a deal since we don't talk to his side.

I felt good about having Sirius on my side. At least I wasn't the only outlier. After dinner, we all met our Prefects, and they led us to a huge painting of a gigantic woman. Her painting was called 'The Fat Lady'. I felt bad for her. How awful to be called something so rude! Mother would approve seeing as she always taught me and my sister to eat like ladies, always have table manners, and aspire to have her figure when we got older.

The McKinnon girl along with myself, the Fortescue girl, Lily Evans, and another girl whose name I couldn't remember, all moved into the first-year Gryffindor girls' dormitory. "I want the bed closest to the window!" I called and grabbed my kitten, Binx from the floor and put him on the bed I chose.

"That's fine wiv me!" The McKinnon girl called and took the one next to me.

As we lay down to go to sleep, I suddenly felt very sad. This was the first time that I hadn't slept in the same room as my twin sister. I wondered if she had made any friends or if Henry had just simply introduced her to all of his friends. I missed her. We did everything together until now. I thought about all the people in the family whom I had seen been disowned. Aunts, uncles, and cousins had done horrible things to disgrace the family, but no one had ever been sorted into Gryffindor. I fell into a restless sleep thinking what have I done?